BY RAFIK ZAIGOUCHE AND CLAUDE BLETON

PARIS - "First, second, third generation, we are all children of immigrants." At the call of the National Committee for Undocumented Immigrants, some 20,000 demonstrated here September 28. The demonstrators pointed out that France is a country of immigrants and demanded that the "undocumented of the St. Bernard Church," as well as others be given regular papers.

For Traoré, one of the "undocumented" leaders, the presence of so many French demonstrators was very important. "Today they are hitting the immigrants, but tomorrow they will hit the French as well," he said.

The immigrant rights demonstration takes place as unions in France gear up for a new round of protests against government austerity measures. Paris subway and bus workers went on strike September 27 and teachers held a nationwide strike, marching in Paris on September 30 to protest job cuts. Railroad and civil service unions are planning a 24-hour work stoppage October 17.

French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Alain Juppé insist that painful austerity for the workers is needed to get France ready to adopt a common European currency by the end of the decade. Unemployment in France stands at a staggering 12.6 percent.

Most trade unions and a variety of political organizations, including the Communist and Socialist parties, gave their support to the September 28 demonstration. But their contingents were dwarfed by groups from immigrant and anti- racist associations. Two other demonstrations also took place the same day in eastern France in Metz and in the south of France in Marseilles.

The popularity of the September 28 action could be seen all along the march. There were often as many people on the sidewalks applauding as there were demonstrators.

One of the contingents organized by a Paris committee brought together for the first time hundreds of undocumented workers of Asian origin. Their dynamic contingent was shown on national television with colorful banners in Chinese and other Asian languages. Earlier in the week sans papiers leader Madjiguene Cissé said that "the workers of the whole world should join in this struggle because we all have the same bosses."

The September 28 demonstration was a counterpoint to the annual "Bleu, Blanc, Rouge" (Red, White and Blue) festival organized the same weekend by the National Front, a fascist and racist party led by Jean-Marie Le Pen. The National Front's slogan is "the French first."

One of the contingents in the September 28 action shouted "[former Minister of the Interior] Pasqua, the photocopy! Le Pen, the original! [Prime Minister] Juppé, the executive!"

At the demonstration the immigrants shouted "Juppé, give us our papers." Only a minority of the immigrant workers, who were recently expelled again from the St. Bernard church in Paris in late August, have been given temporary residence papers.

Since last March, some 300 immigrant workers and their families, in a struggle to win the right to live and work in France, have sought refuge in St. Bernard Church in Paris. Most of these workers are of African origin and generally came from former French colonies. The cops have organized three brutal evacuations of the immigrants.

Interior Minister Jean-Louis Debré has publicly boasted about the number charter flights he has organized to expel "illegal" immigrants to Africa. So far, however, he has only been able to expel 10 of the 300 Africans from the St. Bernard Church. The others have been released by judges who, bending to mass pressure, have ruled that there were procedural flaws in the police arrests.

Elsewhere in Paris, in suburbs and other regions of France, other sans papiers have joined "the 300" in their struggle. Other churches have been occupied and the struggle has now become a national.

"This story about immigrants is a false problem," said Martine Mansson answering the accusation that immigrants take away French jobs. Mansson, a university worker from Metz, came to the demonstration with a delegation from the Lorraine region in the east of France. Her companion, who was born in Senegal at the time that it was still a French colony, is living in France with temporary residency papers. Although he legally has a right to French citizenship, the administration has so far refused.

One hand written poster seen in the demonstration pointed out that Senegalese were sent to be killed in massive numbers in the First World War to "defend the French fatherland," but were now denied the right to live in France.  
 
 
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